Bundle-fastener.



H. L. swANsoN.-

BUNDLE FASTBNER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I9, 1911.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

M W W ammuv HERMAN L. SWANSON, 0F STROMSBURG, NEBRASKA.

BUNDLE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patelltd Sept. 19, 1911.

Application led January 19, 1911. Serial No. 603,537.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HERMAN L. SwANsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stromsburg, in the county of Polk, State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bundle-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to bundle fasteners, and especially to that type which is utilized in securing bundles of mail matter together for transportation.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this character which can be easily applied to and disengaged from a bundle of mail matter and which will be simple in construction, easily manipulated, efficient in use, and manufactured at an exceedingly small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying dra-wing, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views; and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bundle of mail matter secured together by a fastener constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2, a detail perspective view of the fastener in partially locked position with the bundle element thereof shown in fragment; and Fig. 3, a detail perspective view of the fastener in unlocked position with the bundle element thereof shown in fragment.

Referring to the drawing, the fastener is shown as comprising a U shaped body portion which includes arms 10 and 11 having` corresponding ends connected together by means of a pin 12. These arms 10 and 11 have their intermediate portions contracted as at 13 and 14 respectively, while the free ends of said arms are extended laterally, as at 15 and 16 respectively; said free ends terminating in loops 17. Pivoted upon the pin 12 between the arms 'l0 and 11 is a clamping bar 18 provided with a looped pivoted end 19. This clamping bar is adapted to be moved through the arms 10 and 11 for a purpose that will presently appear, the contracted portions 13 and 14 of said arms being spaced at such a distance from each other as to necessitate the exertion of a sharp pressure on the clamping bar 18 to cause the latter to pass between the arms 10 and l1.

It will be noted that with respect to the construction of the arms 10 and 11 that the free ends of said arms are inclined to that portion of the arms which is disposed between the pin l2 and the contracted intermediate portions 13 and 14 so that when said clamping bar is moved through the arms in one direction, it will be disposed substantially on one side of the arms throughout its entire length. Rotatably mounted in the looped terminals 17 is a rod 20, one end of which terminates in a loop 2l and the other end in a hooked portion 22, while that portion of the rod 2O which is disposed between the laterally extended free ends 15 and 1G of the arms is an offset, as at By this construction, it will be apparent that when the clamping bar 18 has been passed through the arms 10 and 11 so as to lie between said arms and the rod 2O the rotation of said rod in one direction will cause the offset portion 23 to engage the clamping bar 18 and force the same through the arms 10 and 11 so that said lever will be free to rotate to the position shown in Fig. 3. It will also be noted with respect to the hooked terminal 22 that when the fastener is in locking position, the mouth of said hooked terminal will be disposed toward the pin 12, while a rotation of the rod 20 to effect the release of the clamping bar 18 as previously described will cause thc mouth of the hooked terminal 22 to be disposed away from the pin 12. Secured to the looped terminal 21 of the rod 20 is one end of a binder 24, which is adapted to be wrapped around the bundle of mail matter M.

In use, the device is placed upon one side of the bundle of mail matter with the end thereof which carries the pin 12 disposed toward the body of the person by whom the device is being applied. The thumb is then placed upon the arms 10 and 1l. about midway between the terminals of said arms and the binder extended through the index and middle fingers. It will of course be understood that the clamping bar 18 in applying the device is disposed in a position substantially at right angles to the bundle. The

binder is then gripped with the right hand and passed beneath and around the bundle and into the hooked terminal 22. It is then passed beneath and around the bundle substantially at right angles to the previous convolution and carried around the lever 18 at the pivot point of the latter. /Vhile the binder is in this position, the clamping bar 18 is then swung` on its pivot so as to pass between the arms 10 and 11 which will cause the free end of the binder to be clamped between the clamping bar and the arms 1() and 11 and secure said free end against detachment from the body portion of the fastener. This done, the bundle of mail matter M is securelybound.

In order to release the device, the looped terminal 21 is secured ybetween the thumb and the forefinger and rotated toward the bundle M. This rotation will cause the offset portion 28 to engage the clamping bar 18 and force the same between the arms 10 and ll and thus release the free end of the binder 24. This rotation of the looped termovement between the contractedV portion of said arms, a rod rotatably mounted on the free end of said arm, one end of which terminates in a loop and the other in a hook portion disposed longitudinally with respect to the body portion, the hook portion having its mouth end directed toward the bight portion of the body when in locking position and away from the bight portion of the body when in unlocking position, means on said rod between the arms of the body for engaging the clamping bar when said rod is rotated and forcing same between the arms of the body to unlocked position, and a binder having one of its ends secured to the looped terminal of the rod, its free end being arranged to be passed beneath and around a package to engage the hookedterminal of the rod, and thence to be passed beneath and around the package substantially at right angles to the previous convolution and thence passed around the clamping bar, the latter being movable on its pivot to a position between the adjacent face of the package and the arms of the body, whereby the free end of the binder is secured between the clamping bar and the arms of the body.

In testimony whereof, T aiiiX my signature, in presence of witnesses.

HERMAN L. SWANSON. Witnesses:

L. D. HEDBLOOM,

E. E. STANTON,

J. P. LUDDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

